Promise Me This
by linsinclaire
Summary: Years ago, three friends made a promise. But is it possible to keep every promise you ever made? Or were some promises meant to be broken? MorixOC, maybe some TamaxHaru later on. Rated T, just in case.
1. Reunion

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Ouran Highschool Host Club or any of its affiliated characters, symbols, etc.

"Ama-chaaaan! Where are you~?" the blond child sang across the now empty outdoor training grounds as the sun kissed the edge of the horizon, painting the sky in shades of gold.

"O-over here…" sniffed another child's voice from behind a nearby tree. The small, dark-haired girl quickly wiped her tears away with her sleeve before her friends could see her crying. The cheerful blond boy danced over to the tree, a slightly taller, dark-haired boy following close behind.

"H-hey Mitsukuni-kun, T-Takashi-kun…" the girl mumbled, fighting back the tears welling up in her eyes.

"Amaya-chan, what's wrong?" the blond taller boy remained quiet, but clear concern was reflected in his dark eyes.

"I… My family is moving to the countryside tomorrow… I… I'm scared! What if I can't make any friends? What if… What if I never see you two again…?" Amaya whispered softly, a few fat tear drops rolling down her cheeks despite her best efforts to contain them. "You two are my best friends… I can't stand the thought of losing you…"

Honey watched her thoughtfully for a moment, then glanced long enough to see they were thinking the same both knelt down beside her, and Honey offered up his pinky finger. Amaya gave him a questioning look, her green eyes clouded with confusion.

"Promise me," he said solemnly, "that you will call, email, or write everyday. Promise me that we will always keep in touch, and that we will meet again one day."

Amaya smiled, confusion replaced with understanding as she wrapped her pinky finger around his. "I promise," she vowed, "that we will always be friends."

"Promise me?" the tall boy spoke up, his slightly monotone voice tinted with the fear that she might not.

She smiled once more, and held her pinky out to him. "Of course. I promise you all that I promised Mitsukuni." He smiled, warmed by her acceptance as he reached out to wrap his finger around hers.

"And I promise to never make you cry. I promise to always be there for you."

Amaya wrapped her arms around her two best friends in a brief hug, the last bit of sunlight quickly fading behind the trees in the distance. Somewhere, their nannies were calling for them. The trio linked arms, Amaya in the middle, and strode slowly and solemnly towards the entrance, cherishing their last few moments together before being separated for what they all felt would be a long, long time.

***~Eight Years Later~***

Amaya Yamakawa hesitated in front of the door to the Third Music Room, doubts swimming in her head. _'What if they don't recognize me? What if I don't recognize them? I sure hope this is the right room…'_ she thought silently as she gently pushed open the door. Suddenly, rose petals fluttered around her as she was blinded by an intense white light, and seven silhouettes welcomed her in harmonious unison. She shielded her eyes for a moment, waiting for the figures to come into focus. She recognized her two childhood friends instantly.

"Ama-chan?" Honey asked in his childlike voice. Amaya nodded, slightly stunned.

"AMA-CHAAAN~!" he cheered, tackle-hugging his childhood friend.

"M-Mitsukuni? You haven't changed! Like… At all!" she cried in disbelief, returning his hug hesitantly. Honey seemed oblivious.

"Ama-chan, you're so pretty now! I mean, not that you weren't before, but now you're super, super pretty!" he babbled. Amaya giggled, embarassment lending a pink hue to her cheeks.

While she wouldn't call herself "super pretty", she had grown into herself, more or less. Her soft raven curls fell just past her shoulder blades, her jade green eyes hooded with thick black lashes. She wasn't particularly tall, standing at roughly 5' 4", and years of vigorous martial arts training had left her with a fairly athletic build. The pale green tunic top she wore gave the illusion that she had a few more curves than she actually did, while the thin dark brown belt around her waist, dark blue denim jeans, and black high-heeled boots helped to balance out that illusion.

"Thank you, Mitsukuni-kun…" she mumbled shyly, ruffling his hair before looking to Mori. "Takashi…" she said, groping for words. What do you say to a person you haven't seen for eight years - particularly when that person _still_ knows you better than anyone else in the world?

Then their eyes locked, and for all the world she felt as though every secret they had ever kept, every promise they had made, every laugh and every ache they had shared - in childhood and in countless letters - passed between them. And she knew she didn't have to say anything impressive. He probably already knew what she would say if she had the words.

"…It's good to see you again."


	2. Meet the Host Club!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Ouran Highschool Host Club or any of its characters, symbols, etc.

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><p>"Forgive me, I haven't properly introduced myself…" Amaya said, turning to face what she presumed to be the rest of the host club.<p>

"My name is Amaya Yamakawa. I'm a childhood friend of Mitsukuni and Takashi's…" she trailed off, unsure of what else to say.

"Welcome, Princess Amaya!" the tall blond in the center greeted her quite theatrically, going so far as to kneel before her and kiss her hand.

"Uh… You must be Suoh-san…" she mumbled, her cheeks flushing to a lovely shade of crimson.

"Please, princess, call me Tamaki-san. There's no need to be quite so formal," he tried to encourage her, reaching to cup her face in his hand.

And in that instant, her training took over. Before she even realized what she was doing, she had twisted his hand - and by a chain reaction, the rest of his arm - so quickly that he flipped, landing on his back, twitching slightly.

"Ah! I'm SOOOOO sorry, Tamaki-san! I don't know what came over me! It's just… After a while I guess everything just becomes reflex… Oh gosh, I'm so sorry…" she babbled frantically, helping him up.

"I… I didn't break anything, did I? Dislocate a shoulder? Bruise anything?"

"Only His Majesty's ego!" the twins interjected, snickering maliciously.

"I'm so sorry… You should lie down… Do you want me to get you some ice?"

"No, no… That's quite alright princess… I'll be alright, I assure you!" Tamaki stammered frantically, waving his hands in front of his face, trying not to cringe.

"Okay, if you're sure…" Amaya said doubtfully. Suddenly, both twins were on either side of her, each with an arm around her shoulder.

"Nice job, Amaya-chan!" Hikaru said, grinning devilishly.

"Yea, you're our hero!" Kaoru chimed, mirroring his twin's evil smile.

"W-what did I do?" Amaya stammered, resisting the instinct to elbow them both.

"Took his lordship down a notch, that's what!" Hikaru explained cheerfully.

"Yes, it was truly inspiring. He needs to be humbled a little more often," Kaoru added, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"I… I didn't mean to… I guess if you say it's alright…" Amaya muttered, not quite sure what to make of the troublemaking twins. Their uncomfortably close proximity was beginning to become unbearable, and she shot Mori and Honey a helpless look, silently begging either one of them to save her from her red-headed captors.

Evidently, they both understood, for the pair approached the twins and the "captive" Amaya, Mori with a rather murderous look in his eye, causing Hikaru and Kaoru shudder and step back a few paces.

"Ama-chan, let's go eat cake, okay?" Honey offered innocently, though it was clear his intent was to get her away from the rest of the Host Club before they could scare her off.

"Honey-sempai, Mori-sempai, will you be able to receive customers while she's here? " Kyouya said coolly, though it was clear that he was irritated by the sudden appearance of this potential obstacle to the club's revenue. The trio stopped in their tracks, but Amaya, sensing that she was at the center of a potential conflict, spoke up before either of her friends could react.

"I can help serve tea or something while I'm here, Ootori-san. If you're as all-knowing as I've heard, you should know that my position in my family will make it difficult for me to spend time with Mitsukuni and Takashi outside of classes. Surely you can allow us one afternoon to catch up? I assure you I will not be a hindrance," she answered, her voice soft and polite, her expression ominously calm, only her eyes betraying her annoyance with the cool and calculating host. Kyouya glanced from her to Honey to Mori, before finally deciding that it wasn't worth picking a fight over - especially not considering the three friends were all martial arts champions - Amaya had earned the female equivalent of Honey's title.

"Very well. No need to serve tea, you can sit with them as they're entertaining customers. Perhaps your relationship with these two can enhance their act…" he finished thoughtfully, speaking more to himself than to her.

"Thank you," Amaya replied, bowing slightly before turning to Honey, who had been tugging excitedly at her sleeve ever since she said the word "classes".

"Ama-chan! Ama-chan! Does this mean you're transferring here? Did you move back to Tokyo?" he asked, eyes sparkling with joy as if he already knew the answer.

Amaya smiled warmly, practically glowing as she replied, "Yes, Mitsukuni. I'm living here in Tokyo with my brother and his fiancée, and, while it is my duty to protect him at all times, he insists I at least finish high school and talked father into letting me attend Ouran Academy instead of hiring a tutor."

Her smile had waned slightly as she spoke, as if being reminded that she was away from her brother made her uneasy. She glanced up to Mori, and found understanding in his eyes. Perhaps that was why she had always felt closer to him than she did to Honey - they both knew what it meant to be charged with the protection of someone they cared deeply for. Neither of them had ever brought it up, it was more of a silent understanding. Now that she thought about it, much of their friendship was built upon silent understandings.

Honey woke her from her musings.

"Ama-chan, what kind of cake do you want?" he asked cheerfully as he led her to her seat.

"Oh, um, I don't usually have sweets… Why don't you choose for me, Mitsukuni?" Amaya said distractedly. Her brother had insisted she go see her old friends this afternoon after they had finished picking up her class schedule and her books - he had practically dragged her to the Third Music Room before heading home with Masami - but she still felt anxious being away from him.

The rest of the afternoon passed far too slowly for Amaya, who had alternated between twirling a strand of hair around her finger and tapping her foot as she sat listening to the idle chatter, answering the occasional question, her eyes darting from Honey to Mori to the clock to the door and back again. It didn't take long for her friends to notice her quickly fraying nerves.

In between a rotation of customers, Mori placed a hand on her shoulder, giving her a knowing look.

"He's okay," he said in his deep, monotone voice, and no two words had ever been quite so soothing to hear. She knew he was right, and that she needed to get used to being away from Kazuhiro for a few hours everyday, at least for the time being. She smiled and nodded.

Time passed a little more quickly after that, and when it was time to leave, Amaya was actually a little sad to go.

"Well, it was nice meeting you all. I'm sorry I won't be able to spend much time with all of you, but I'm afraid I can't stay after school to visit from now on…" she said, truly disappointed that she wouldn't have an opportunity to learn more about Honey and Mori's friends.

"Just because you can't be here doesn't mean you can't spend time with them…" Honey said thoughtfully.

"Oh?"

"Maybe we can all go see Ama-chan's new home this weekend!" Honey said as he turned to face the rest of the host club.

"Honey-sempai, that's brilliant! If Princess Amaya cannot come to the host club, then the host club shall come to her!" Tamaki cheered valiantly, before turning sheepishly to Amaya, remembering his earlier pain and humiliation.

"That is… If that's okay with you, princess…" he mumbled, quite intent upon watching the floor as he poked his index fingers together, bearing a strong resemblance to a child who had just been caught stealing a cookie.

"I'll have to check with my brother - it is his house, after all - but it's fine with me. Just remember to give me a bit of personal space, okay?" she smiled sweetly, tilting her head slightly to the right.

"Yay! Field trip to Amaya-chan's house!" the twins cheered simultaneously.

'_What did I just agree to?'_ Amaya grimaced.

"Don't worry," Haruhi whispered so only she could hear, "You get used to it."

"Thanks, Fujioka-san," Amaya replied under her breath. _'But I'm not so sure if that's a good thing…'_

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><p>Thank you to all of you who reviewed, rated, favorited, etc. I was a little nervous because this is my first fanfic, but I'm happy it was so well received. I'm open to any constructive criticism you have to offer. Next update will probably be sometime this weekend.<p> 


	3. To Be A Female Bodyguard

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Ouran Highschool Host Club or any of its affiliated characters, symbols, etc.

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><p>Somehow, Haruhi Fujioka had ended up being dragged on yet another Host Club "field trip", despite her most fervent protests that she needed to study and had other responsibilities outside the Host Club.<p>

"Stupid rich kids…" she muttered to herself in irritation.

They were standing before a rather large building that looked like it had once been some sort of temple. The cobblestone path they had just traversed was lined with perfectly manicured rose bushes that alternated between red and white roses. To the left was a rather large koi pond with a bubbling marble, three-tiered fountain in the center, with the second tier currently occupied by some sort of finch. To the right was an impressive rock garden, with the darkest rocks forming the shape of a dragon against the backdrop of what looked like a mountain. On both sides the fence was lined with cherry trees, blossoms just beginning to bud as they shook off the winter's chill.

"It's a lot smaller than I expected," Hikaru commented nonchalantly, and Haruhi had to resist the urge to smack him. This place was huge by her standards.

Tamaki was the first to reach the door, and promptly pulled the red and gold rope hanging next to the door. Somewhere above them, a bell rang out ominously, thundering in their ears. And then they were surrounded. Automated machine guns dropped from the overhang near the door, with a few more mounted guns replacing the rose bushes along the path. The wooden panel just left of the door opened up to reveal a camera and a microphone.

"State your purpose here," said a deep, disembodied voice.

"I, uh, w-we're here t-t-to s-see, um, uh… Please don't kill us!" Tamaki stammered before collapsing to his knees, practically bawling. Meanwhile, Mori, with Honey clinging to his back, stepped calmly forward, as Honey turned and waved at the camera.

"Hi Yashimoto-sensei! We're here to see Ama-chan!" he said cheerfully, as if this were a regular occurrence.

"Ah, Haninozuka-san, Morinozuka-san, it's good to see you. Give me a moment, I'll let you in," the voice said, slightly less threatening than it was before.

Moments later the door creaked open to reveal a silver-haired, scar-faced man wearing black pants and a suit jacket, a white dress shirt, and a crimson tie. He pulled a small remote out of his pocket and rapidly punched a few buttons, promptly returning the front yard to its former welcoming state.

"Welcome," he said in a stern, gravelly voice, "Miss Amaya is with her brother, meeting with some of her father's political allies. You can let her know you are here, but you must not interrupt her or Master Kazuhiro's work."

They all nodded, Honey and Mori in understanding, the rest of the hosts out of fearful obedience to the battle-scarred man.

"Right this way," he said, leading them down hallways lined with suits of samurai armor, various types of bladed weapons mounted on the wall above them. Decorative paper fans depicting dragons or battle scenes hung on the opposite wall. The silver-haired veteran led them through winding hallways, their path twisting and turning and seeming to double-back on itself until they finally came to a large open doorway. Peering in, they found a decadently decorated room that might have been a sort of library if it were not occupied by several white-haired men talking over each other in some heated debate. They reclined across the plush midnight blue sofas, lounged in the matching overstuffed armchairs, half-filled champagne glasses in hand, cigars dangling from nearly every mouth. In the midst of the smoke and clamor was a young, dark-haired man who looked to be in his early twenties, appearing far more cultured and poised than his elders with his left foot resting on top of his right knee, back straight, chin up, a full glass held loosely in his right hand, his green eyes burning intensely as he listened to the ranting old man next to him, ready to defend his own argument the instant he could get a word in.

And there she was, not three paces from his chair, half-hidden in the shadow of a bookshelf, invisible to the old politicians lounging about the room. Her black locks were pinned up in a bun, held in place by two long, silver pins, each of which held a small, hidden blade. She wore a black, knee-length, scoop-neck dress. Around each wrist was a black leather cuff, each of which, Mori knew, held a small throwing knife that would slide into her hand with an imperceptible flick of the wrist. If he knew her as well as he thought he did, she probably had another blade or two hidden in the heel of her black stilettos.

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><p><strong>*~Flashback~*<strong>

"_Now Amaya-san, you will face challenges as a bodyguard that Morinonzuka-san will not," Yashimoto's stern voice echoed off the wooden walls of the dojo as he lectured the two students kneeling before him. _

"_If he is anything like his father, he will be quite intimidating when he's older, and his appearance alone may deter any blatant, physical attacks against his charge. That's not to say it won't happen - but it will happen less often. As a woman, many of your brother's enemies will underestimate you - and you _must _be prepared for when that happens," he paused, making sure that she understood what that meant. The young girl nodded solemnly. She would have to work harder and train longer than Takashi if she wanted to protect her brother._

_Satisfied that she understood, he continued, "Being of smaller stature, it will also be easier for larger enemies to overpower you in hand-to-hand combat. You need to be able to judge how well you can handle an opponent, and if you think he may be capable of overpowering you, you must attack from a distance. Sometimes that is not always possible, so you must also learn to use your opponent's weight against him," he paused again, anticipating her question._

"_But Sensei, how am I supposed to do all this?" Amaya asked, tilting her head in confusion._

"_That," Yashimoto chuckled, a throwing knife suddenly leaping into his hand, "is what I'm going to teach you."_

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><p>Amaya's eyes swept slowly over the room, watching for any sign of danger, any threat that might be hidden behind the clouds of cigar smoke. It wasn't long before she spotted the host club crowding anxiously in the doorway, Yashimoto leading the way. She smiled and nodded at her old sensei, acknowledging that she had seen them and would greet her friends as soon as her brother dismissed these drunken old men. Yashimoto bowed slightly in return, then led her guests away from the doorway in the direction of the kitchen. She turned her attention back to the task at hand, tensing slightly as one of her brother's guests, who was now finishing off his fifth glass of champagne, raised his slurred voice angrily. Drunks were unpredictable, prone to episodes of violence. She had to be prepared…<p>

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><p>Yashimoto led the host club through more twisting, winding hallways until they stopped in front of another large, open doorway. This time, however, he led them inside the room, which turned out to be a large, well-equipped kitchen with a gray stone tile floor and polished black stone countertops. Perched on top of one of the countertops, a small book in hand, was a young woman with long , pale blond hair cascading down her back. Yashimoto tapped on the door frame with his knuckles, and she looked up in shock, quickly jumping down from the counter with a guilty look on her face. Evidently she wasn't supposed to be sitting there.<p>

"Oh, Yashimoto, I, uh… Did you need something?" she asked doubtfully.

"Some of Miss Amaya's friends are here to see her," he said, his tone formal, though his eyes seemed to be laughing.

"Oh, yes, of course! Uh, welcome to our home… Is there anything I can get you? Would you like something to drink?" she said awkwardly, clearly not accustomed to entertaining guests. Yashimoto chuckled a bit under his breath before letting her off the hook.

"Everyone, this is Lady Masami, Master Kazuhiro's fiancée," he explained, raising an eyebrow when they didn't respond.

"Uh, pleased to make your acquaintance, Masami-san," Tamaki bowed, still trying to recover from his earlier episode.

"Yea, nice to meet you, Masa-chan! Ama-chan told me all about you!" Honey chimed from atop Mori's shoulders. Mori nodded, as if to say that he too had heard about her.

"Pleased to meet you!" the twins said in unison.

"Thank you for welcoming us into your home," Kyouya said politely, bowing.

"Ah, yes, thank you, your house is quite beautiful," Haruhi smiled, bowing slightly.

"You're all very sweet. I'm happy Amaya was able to make so many friends so quickly," Masami replied, smiling warmly.

"I'm not sure if you'd say we're all her friends…" Kyouya muttered.

"I… I see. Anyways, I'm not really sure why she has to be with Kazuhiro for this meeting. What harm could a bunch of old, washed-up politicians possibly do?" she sighed.

She might have summoned them, for in that instant Kazuhiro and Amaya appeared in the doorway, the former nearly dragging the latter by her wrist. She was holding a cloth to her forearm, a brilliant shade of red slowly spreading across it.

"Masami, where's the first aid kit?" Kazuhiro cried frantically.

"Honestly, Kazu, I've sustained worse injuries during training!" Amaya protested, freeing her wrist from his grasp and walking over to the sink. She removed the cloth, revealing a deep cut in her forearm, then rinsed the wound beneath a stream of hot water.

"What happened?" Masami cried in shock.

"Takashi, can you grab the first aid kit out of that cupboard for me?" Amaya pointed at a cupboard just to her right and barely out of her reach. Mori nodded and went to help his old friend, Honey still riding on his shoulders.

"The honorable Kato-_sama_," Kazuhiro explained, his voice dripping with bitter sarcasm, "did not agree with my perspective, evidently, and thought his views would be best expressed by throwing his glass at me. Amaya, of course, blocked it -"

"Better my arm than your head!" she cut in, pulling a piece of gauze out of the first aid kit Mori had just retrieved for her and placing it over the cut.

"Hold that there," she mumbled, and Mori's hand replaced hers as she bound the gauze to her arm with medical tape.

"Anyways, the other officials apologized on his behalf and escorted him out," Kazuhiro finished.

"Oh, my poor darling princess! Being assaulted by that vicious old drunkard!" Tamaki cried theatrically, just about ready to hug her when he remembered what happened the last time he got too close, and froze.

"I'm not a princess," Amaya said in a calm, matter-of-fact tone as the lid to the first aid kit snapped shut.

"I'm a bodyguard. _I_ wasn't the one being assaulted, my brother was, and it's my job to protect him. That's how it's always been…"

"But a young woman such as yourself shouldn't be putting yourself in harm's way to defend a man! It is the duty of men to protect women!" Tamaki protested.

"Then don't think of me as a woman," she replied in the same calm, even voice.

"But… But…"

"Don't. I have a job to do, regardless of my gender, and if you can't accept that, I'm afraid I can't be your friend."

The tension hanging in the room was almost tangible. All eyes rested uncomfortably on the bickering pair. Time crawled by slowly, and it felt like hours before finally, somebody spoke.

"I think chef will be preparing dinner soon," Masami said softly, "I can take you on a tour of our home in the meantime. That is, if you're all willing to stay for dinner…"

"A tour of your home would be lovely, Masami-san," Kyouya spoke for the rest of the host club, virtually forcing them to remain. Masami and Kazuhiro led them through a door on the opposite end of the kitchen - apparently the hallways were intended to confuse enemies, and many of the rooms could only be accessed by passing through other rooms. Halfway through the tour, however, Amaya vanished. Mori looked to Honey, concern reflecting in his dark eyes. Honey nodded, jumping down from Mori's shoulder with ease. While the rest of the group was admiring a rather large painting that nearly took up an entire wall, Mori climbed the nearby staircase silently, certain of where he would find her.

Sure enough, he found Amaya sitting on a window sill on the third floor, leaning against the wall, hugging her knees as she stared out at the gardens below. Apparently she had stopped by her room to change clothes, for she now wore her favorite denim jeans and a green t-shirt with a white star in the center. He sat down on the edge of the window sill, leaning slightly against the opposite wall, watching her patiently. After several minutes passed, she finally spoke.

"I will never be a wife," she whispered, as if stating a fact she didn't want to believe.

"Oh?" Mori replied.

"Men will always see me as either a woman or a warrior, but never both. No one will ever see me for who I truly am, and if someone does, he won't want to marry me. Who wants a wife who spends more time with her brother than with him? What man would want to be forced to live in the same house as his brother-in-law for the rest of his life, forced to raise his children on the charity of that same brother-in-law? Even if someone could see me as I am, who would want the life I have to lead…?" she paused, her voice shaky with the tears she would not let fall. Mori gently placed a single finger on her chin, turning her face to his and whispering one simple word that would change her world forever.

"Me."

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><p>Author's Note:<p>

I think I've increased my word count by roughly 800 words every chapter. ^^'

Anyhoo, thanks to everyone who reviewed/favorited/etc. Let me know if there's anything you want to see happen in the next few chapters, I have a few ideas, but most will have to wait until the very end. Next update will be Monday at the latest. :)


	4. I Promise

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Ouran Highschool Host Club or any of its affiliated characters, symbols, etc.

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><p>She was dreaming. She <em>had <em>to be dreaming.

Amaya sat there in shock, her face twisted into an expression of utter disbelief. Her mouth opened and closed soundlessly several times before she finally managed to choke out the question whirling in her mind.

"You… You don't really mean that, do you Takashi?" she asked, floating somewhere between hope and fear. He nodded hesitantly, suddenly doubting whether or not he had said the right thing. Mixed emotions distorted her features, internal conflict clouding in her eyes.

She loved him. She always had, though she hadn't realized it until now. Amaya was fairly certain that no two people had ever understood each other so completely - well, maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration, but still. He had always accepted her as an equal in the dojo, even when the other boys, excluding Honey, had scorned her for her gender. Even after years apart, all they had to do was look at each other and each would know, more or less, what the other was thinking or feeling. Not to mention his seemingly uncanny ability to sense when she was unhappy, even when they were miles away from each other - it was always on the days that were the hardest, when she most needed a friend, that he would call without warning. Granted, he never did say much - but it was enough to keep her going.

She loved him. She loved everything about him. And it was for that reason that she could not, would not let him make the promise she knew was on the tip of his tongue. She could never let him sacrifice his future for her happiness.

"No, Takashi," she said firmly, echoing her thoughts, "I can't let you do this. I won't let you sacrifice your future for me."

She rose quickly to her feet and turned on her heel, praying that the tears wouldn't start until she was far, far away from him. But she barely made it three steps before he caught her wrist, spun her around and caught her other wrist, temporarily stopping her in her tracks.

"Takashi, let go!" she growled, trying to tug her wrist out from his grip. He raised an eyebrow quizzically, and she stopped 'fighting' his grasp. Who was she kidding? If she really wanted to get away, she'd be long gone by now, and they both knew it. She looked up at him expectantly.

Mori sighed and stared at the ceiling for a few moments, carefully choosing his words.

"I don't consider it a sacrifice," he said softly, his dark eyes gazing into hers.

"But…" Amaya began to say before remembering why they had been the only two to endure Yashimoto's specialized training together - he was destined to be a bodyguard for the rest of his life as well. And while perhaps it was more voluntary in his case, their futures so closely mirrored each other that she suddenly felt it would be far more cruel _not _to accept his offer.

She wasn't sure what possessed her to bring her hand up to face level, little finger raised, her green eyes watching him solemnly. Perhaps it was force of habit. Maybe it was because every pinky promise they had ever made to each other, they had kept. No matter the reason, it felt like the right thing to do.

"Promise me," she said in a slow, measured voice, "that you will stand by me through thick and thin, no matter what happens." He smiled, raising his own hand, his little finger wrapping around hers.

"I promise," he said in his deep, quiet voice, "that one day, with your permission, I will make you my wife."

As the word "wife" left his lips, her heart fluttered rapidly in her chest, and she could feel the color rising to her cheeks.

"Takashi…" she whispered, pure joy shining in her eyes. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her, and in that moment, all the emotion that had been building for the past few days burst forth in a river of tears. She clung to him, unable to stop the flow of tears, soft sobs shaking her shoulders. She cried in turn for pain, joy, hope, and fear. He waited patiently as she soaked through his shirt, one arm wrapped tightly around her waist, the other hand rubbing her back comfortingly until she finally cried herself out.

"I-I'm sorry, Takashi, I don't know what came over me," she apologized as she reluctantly pulled away from his embrace. He smiled graciously, wiping away a few stray tears before tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, as if to say, "it's okay". She smiled back, then pulled her cell phone out of her pocket to check the time.

"Crap," she muttered under her breath. She looked back up to find him watching her curiously. She held the phone up for him to see.

"We're late for dinner," she explained, the weight of anxiety settling on her shoulders. She wasn't exactly looking forward to seeing how the host club - and her brother - would react to their new relationship. She looked back up again to find him smiling encouragingly, his hand held out to her. She took it, entwining her fingers with his, then sighed heavily.

"I guess we'll have to face them sometime…"

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><p>Author's Note:<p>

Hey guys, sorry about the late-ish update, weekend was a little busier than I anticipated... And my brother's a laptop hog. I'm getting my own soon, so it should be less of a problem... Sorry the chapter's so short, too. '

Unfortunately, updates will be a little more spaced out now - I start work on Friday, and college in a couple weeks. I'll do my best to update often, but I make no promises.

Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed, favorited, etc. Your support means so much to me!

Much Love,

Lin


	5. Acceptance

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club or any of its affiliated characters, symbols, etc.

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><p>Light quickly faded from the rooms as the sun fell below the horizon. Amaya and Mori raced hurriedly through the interconnected rooms, occasionally stumbling over unseen obstacles in the dim light. As they drew closer to the dining room, they could make out the low murmur of idle chatter, the rare laugh ringing through the deserted rooms. Finally, they reached the door, and Amaya cautiously, hesitantly opened the large mahogany door, trying to draw as little attention to Mori and herself as possible.<p>

Alas, her efforts were to no avail, for she was greeted by what sounded like the start of a collective cheer that was quickly cut off by an ominous silence. Amaya felt as if every eye in the room was on her, Mori, and their loosely intertwined fingers. The silence hung in the hair for what seemed like an eternity, as Amaya held her breath and prayed that someone would say something soon.

The twins were the first to react.

"Hey, Hikaru, do you think they were…?" Kaoru asked, giving his twin a sidelong glance, the corners of his mouth stretching into a devilish grin.

"I dunno, Kaoru. They _were_ gone for an _awfully_ long time. What other explanation could there be?" Hikaru replied, mirroring his brother. The pair looked as if they were about ready to break out in some childish, mocking song when they glanced at Mori and suddenly decided that the food on their plates was far more interesting.

"Takashi! Ama-chan!" Honey cheered, reaching for the free hand of each.

"I saved you two seats in between me and Kazu-kun," he explained cheerfully, dragging the couple behind him. Amaya was seated between her brother and Mori, and Honey was sitting next to the latter. It seemed Honey's gesture diffused most of the tension in the room, for the host club resumed whatever discussion they were having before Amaya and Mori arrived. Still, Amaya sat in silence, not really hearing the voices around her, all her attention focused on her brother. He had been brooding ever since they walked in. As far as she was concerned, his word was law, so if he disapproved… She couldn't bear the thought. All she could do was watch anxiously for his reaction, and pray that he approved.

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><p>Kazuhiro was torn. On the one hand, he knew and trusted Mori, and he <em>did<em> want his sister to have a life outside of protecting him. But he had always been insanely jealous of any boy who even had the slightest crush on her - despite the fact that, until now, each had met with cold indifference on her part. Perhaps he should've seen this coming - Amaya and Mori had always been exceptionally close, almost as if they had shared some sort of strange bond, a bond he never really understood. Or maybe he had. Maybe it was similar to his relationship with Masami - but no, he couldn't think of his sister as being capable of loving so deeply as he did. Was that cruel on his part? Or just plain ignorant? Could ignorance excuse dismissing someone as being less capable of feeling?

A gentle hand on his shoulder calmed the storm raging in his mind. He turned to see Masami smiling encouragingly, but with a warning glint in her eye. _"Remember,"_ she seemed to say, _"your opinion means the world to her. If you disapprove of her relationship, she'll never speak to him again - and that alone could destroy her."_ And while perhaps that was not exactly what Masami was thinking, Kazuhiro was reminded of the power he held over his sister - a power that would always remain very real, no matter how uncomfortable it made him. He sighed, then turned to face his sister, forcing his mouth to form a lopsided little half-smile.

Amaya's heart nearly leapt into her throat when she saw her brother smile. Nevermind that it was obviously forced - it meant that their relationship had his blessing, and that was all she needed to know. She mouthed a silent "thank you" before finally joining whatever meaningless conversation her friends were involved in.

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><p>The rest of the evening was relatively uneventful, though Masami noticed that Haruhi and Tamaki kept sneaking glances at each other when they thought no one was looking. After dinner, the hosts left, with Mori giving Amaya a quick side-hug before departing. Sunday was spent in its usual manner for the Yamakawa family - the entire household slept until almost noon, ate a hearty brunch, then retired to the library, with the exception of Yashimoto and Amaya, who spent the better part of the day at the training grounds.<p>

Monday morning came far too quickly for Amaya's liking. Not that she wasn't looking forward to school - on the contrary, she couldn't wait to finally see Mori and Honey again - but…

"This is what passes for a uniform?" she growled under breath as Masami helped her put on the large, frilly yellow dress.

"I think it's cute," the older girl replied, making quick work of lacing up the back.

"Cute? It's impractical! What if some creep tries to grab me? How on Earth am I supposed to fight back in this… This yellow abomination?" Amaya cried in despair, flailing a bit to display how restricted her movement was. Masami simply giggled at her future sister-in-law's distress.

"Maybe you should order a boy's uniform, like Haruhi. Speaking of Haruhi…" she said thoughtfully.

"Hm? What about her?"

"I think she might have a little crush on Tamaki. And I'm pretty sure he's interested as well…" Masami paused, waiting for her reaction. Amaya mulled it over for a minute.

"Huh… That's good, I s'pose. Tamaki needs someone to keep him in line. And I think he'll make Haruhi… Oh no. You're going to play matchmaker, aren't you? Well whatever, you're planning, leave me out of it!" Amaya protested.

"Aww, c'mon, you're no fun! Please? I'll let you pick out the bridesmaids dresses!" Masami pleaded.

"Why would I want to do that? It's your wedding, you should be the one to pick 'em out…" Amaya replied skeptically, raising a single eyebrow.

"Really? Well, I do _really_ like these uniforms… Maybe something nice and frilly like this, in a lovely shade of orange…" Masami pondered mockingly.

"Okay, okay, fine. But can I at least enjoy my first day of school without doing your dirty work?" Amaya asked, her eyes pleading for some semblance of mercy.

"Okay!" Masami cheered, skipping out of the room.

'_I swear, sometimes she's just like a little kid… But she makes Kazu happy…' _Amaya thought to herself with a sigh. She jerked her head up suddenly as a light knock on the door pulled her away from her musings.

"Miss Amaya, the car is ready," Yashimoto announced.

"Thank you, Yashimoto. I'll be down in a moment."

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><p>This was the part she had been dreading. For a school full of rich kids with nothing to do, "the new girl" was considered some sort of spectacle. As such, it looked as though the entire student body was awaiting her arrival. And while some small part of her basked in the attention, she still felt uncomfortable - after all, she had spent her whole life learning how to blend in with the background. Which was clearly not an option in this case.<p>

Yashimoto parked the car and shot her a sympathetic look. She smiled, then sighed, grabbing her bag and struggling out of the car, wondering how on earth the other girls moved in these horrendous dresses. The instant she stepped out of the car, the crowd seemed to press forward. The "whispering" within the crowd told her that the ruthless analysis of her appearance and apparent wealth and lineage were well underway.

"Ama-chaaaan~!" a childlike voice cried out over the crowd, and Amaya turned to see Honey riding on Mori's shoulders as the taller teen glided effortlessly through the crowd, parting the sea of blue suits and yellow dresses. Soon the pair was standing directly before her, and Honey launched himself off Mori to cling to Amaya.

"Good morning, Ama-chan!" he greeted her cheerfully, his arms draped around her neck, his legs wrapped tightly around her waist so he wouldn't fall. She hugged him back awkwardly and felt as though she were holding a small child.

"Good morning, Mitsukuni…" she said absently, scanning the crowd for any other familiar faces before turning to Mori.

"Good morning, Takashi," she smiled, feeling the color rush to her cheeks in spite of herself. Ever since their little exchange on Saturday, she felt flustered just thinking about him. He simply smiled and nodded in reply.

"Ama-chan, Ama-chan! You have all the same classes as us, right?" Honey asked eagerly, tugging on her hand.

"Yup! Third Year, Class A. We'll have all our required classes together anyways, I'm not so sure about electives…" she replied doubtfully.

"We're taking a cooking class! And an art class! What about you?"

"Shoot. Well, we'll have art together, but I'm taking French as my second elective…It's probably better for everyone if I stay out of the kitchen anyways…" she sighed, smiling apologetically.

"Aww, well, I guess that's okay. Kazu-chan is getting married in France, so you need to know French, right? Let's go, I'll show you where your classes are!" Honey rambled as he began dragging her towards the school. As she passed Mori, he somehow managed to give her a little half-hug before capturing her free hand with his. As she effortlessly laced her fingers with his, she heard a collective gasp from the closest group of girls. Well, they'd all find out eventually…

"Hey, Ama-chan, speaking of France, do you think you and Takashi will get married there, too?" Honey wondered innocently - and just a little too loudly. Amaya would've fallen on her face if Mori hadn't been holding her up. The crowd was buzzing now, giving her the strong impression of a bee hive.

"Mitsukuni, you didn't have to be so loud…" she groaned.

"Oh? What's wrong Ama-chan?" Honey asked, honestly confused.

She just sighed in reply. Today was going to be a _very_ long day.

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><p>Author's Note:<p>

Sorry this took so long, my brother has become oddly possessive of the family laptop. But my own personal laptop gets here on Tuesday, so that won't be an issue for much longer. :) Also, I intended to update on Friday, but I got called in to work, and my weekend's been kinda crazy ever since...

Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed/favorited/etc! Your support means the world to me, and inspires me to keep writing.

Much Love,

Lin


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